“He [Jesus] was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.” (Romans 4:25)

In today’s verse, Paul gives us the simplest truth about Christianity. And that is, Christianity has nothing to do with what we have done and everything to do with what God has done for us. Yes, to be a Christian requires us to put our faith in Christ Jesus, but that is a decision that we are free to make or not make. God created us not to be mindless robots but to have our own free will. We believe He did this so that we can realize the true heavenly glory of God through our own experiences. That said, and back to the main point of today’s verse, the things we experience and the Savior we put our faith in are all due to who God is and who God sent on our behalf. Jesus, after being present for the creation of mankind, became man all to save His creation that He loves. Doing this fully knowing that we would never deserve Him and that ultimately those who were waiting for the Messiah were the very same people who delivered Him to death. Jesus did this for us freely so that we may have forgiveness for our sins. And then the good news of the gospel becomes a reality as the sacrificial lamb, crucified for us and our sinful ways, is raised to life. God justified His people through the death of His son by allowing those who believe in His resurrection to have a place in the eternal kingdom of God. Today we remember all that God has done, all that He continues to do, and all that He will do out of love for those who know Him. Place your faith in the works of Christ Jesus. For God has justified us by the saving power and glory of His Son Jesus Christ.